Internal access means for containers



May 10, 1966 H. B. KOHN INTERNAL ACCESS MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Filed Feb.27, 1964 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. HAROLD B. KOHN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,250,420INTERNAL ACCESS MEANS FOR CONTATNERS Harold B. Kohn, Yonkers, N.Y.,assiguor to Vehoc Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled Feb. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 347,817

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-3) This invention relates to access means forestablishing communication with the interior of containers. Moreparticularly it concerns a configured access conduit which supports thegreater part of its length in a container by expanding resilientlyagainst the container walls. The inventor, an employee of The LummusCompany, made the invention while engaged in development work undertakenby that organization in techniques of natural gas transportation.

While the internal access means of the invention can serve many purposeswhich will be apparent from the following discussion, it is primarlydesigned for use in pressure vessels such as elongated cylindricalcontainers for holding refrigerated and compressed natural gas. Incertain uses of such containers, access conduits must enter through oneend thereof and communicate not only with the adjacent internal endportion but also with the remote internal end portion at the oppositeend of the container. Consequently, one access conduit must extendsubstantially throughout the length of the inside of the container.

It is characteristic of this type of container that no fasteners orattachments should be present on its inner wall except on the one endwhere its access conduits enter, because stresses tend to concentrate atsuch points even when the attachments carry no weight. Whatever form ofaccess conduit is used to communicate with the remote end of thecontainer, it must be inserted into the container and after the latteris sealed it must remain in place without the support of fastenersattached to the container walls. This presents considerable diflicultywhen varying inertia loads on the access conduit must be accommodatedduring operation, as for example in the transport of such containers byships subject to rolling and pitching in heavy seas. An even moreserious problem of support arises from the relative expansion andcontraction between this access conduit and the container as a result ofthe differential temperatures which occur as the container is filled andemptied. Such conditions require that the access conduit have alldegrees of freedom relative to the container walls necessary to adjustto these changes in dimensions and yet be supported against the inertiaforces mentioned above.

Broadly stated, the internal access .means of the invention for use in acontainer comprises a conduit of a resilient configuration which iscompressible to fit within said container without plastic deformationand expandable thereafter into forcible supporting engagement with theinterior of said container. In its more specific form, the conduitconfiguration is helical and of greater length or diameter (or both) ina relaxed state than the-internal length and diameter of the container.Consequently, the conduit can be compressed into place so that it issupported solely by slideable engagement throughout the greater part ofits helical configuration with the sides and ends of the container.

This form of access conduit requires no fasteners on the container wall,other than at the entry end of the container, to maintain its properposition. Therefore it does not render the container susceptible toconcentration of stresses. More importantly, the new conduit canaccommodate any possible degree of contraction or expansion relative tothe container as a result of variations in temperature' during operationby sliding along its zone of forcible engagement with the wall, and yetwithoutimpairing the desired support allorded by that engagement. Oncethis improved conduit is installed and the entry end of the container issealed, the conduit can provide satisfactory service indefinitelyWithout maintenance or other attention. A preferred embodiment of thisinvention is described hereinbelow with reference to the drawingwherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation partly broken away of a vertical pressure vesselequipped with the helical access conduit of.

constructed of a cylindrical shell 11 made of a suitable alloy resistantto low temperautres which may be three or four feet in diameter andgenerally about fifty feet long, though its size is not a limitingfactor in the invention. The shell 11 of the bottle 10 is closed byrounded bottom and top portions 12 and 13, the latterbeing the entry endof the bottle where first and second access conduit assemblies extendinside the vessel. Attached to the top end portion 13 of the shell 11and extending upwardly therefrom is a cylindrical collar 16 by which thebottle 10 can be supported and through which the respective accessconduit assemblies project. Formed in the top end por tion 13 of theshell 11 Within the collar 16 is a large opening 17 and a smalleropening 18 through which the first and second access conduit assembliesrespectively extend.

The first flexible conduit assembly is comprised of a first pipe 19which is attached at a flared end 20 to the top portion 13 of the shellabout the large opening 17 and extends upwardly away from the topportion. Extending internally within the flared end portion 20 of thefirst pipe 19 is one end 21 of a rigid intermediate connecting tube 22which is securely attached to the first pipe and has its opposite end 23terminating within the vessel. The connecting tube has an insidediameter substantially equal to that of the first pipe but has a smalleroutside diameter. Extending into the end 23 of the connecting tube andconnected thereto by a swaged joint 24 is a conduit 25 of helicalconfiguration which is maintained in contact with the inner wall 26 ofthe shell 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the conduit 25 has a lower end crimpedclosed at 28 and a plurality of spaced openings 29 along an end portion30 adjacent thereto. The conduit end portion 30 rests on the bottom ofthe bottle so that the openings 29 face upwardly to the opposite end ofthe bottle. Also there is attached to the top end portion 13 of theshell 11 about the smaller opening 18 a second pipe 31 which extendsparallel to the first pipe 19 and upwardly away from the top portion.Extending within a flared end portion 32 of the second pipe 31 is oneend 33 of a rigid second access conduit 34 which is securely attached tothe second pipe and has its opposite end 35 terminating within thebottle in communication with the top region thereof. These flaredconnections associated with the tube 22 and the conduit 34 serve toprevent thermal shock caused by the passage of fluids of differingtemperatures, though it is to be understood that as an alternate designthe end of the conduit 25 may be inserted directly into the flared endportion 20 without the use of the connecting tube 22.

Before it is installed the helix defined by the conduit 25 has anoverall length and diameter when relaxed which are greater than thelength and diameter of the bottle 10. The helical configuration istherefore twisted to reduce its diameter and contracted longitudinallyto reduce its length so that it can be fitted into the bottle 10 beforethe top portion 13'thereof is attached. Once within the bottle it), theconduit 25 tends to untwist and expand in length access conduits 25 and35.

3 so that throughout virtually its entire length it is urged intoforcible sliding engagement with the bottle wall and end portions. Thisengagement is sufficient to support the conduit 25 against inertiachanges which would tend to shift its position appreciably but itpermits the limited movement relative to the bottle which is necessaryto accommodate thermal expansion and contraction. Also, vibrationalforces cannot create a resonant response in the conduit because itsunsupported length is short and its frictional engagement with thebottle has a dampening effect. In achieving these results, the conduit25 requires no fasteners or attaching means on the bottle walls at whichstresses might otherwise concentrate.

In operation, extremely cold gases and liquids may pass into and out ofthe bottle 10 through the first and second When a colder fiu'id entersthe bottle through the first access conduit 25 it is directed out of theplurality of openings 29 at the lower conduit end portion 30 and doesnot impinge directly on the bot tom 12 of the bottle in a manner Whichcould result in undue thermal shock. Consequently, an attachment similarto a shower head fitting may be used in place of the spaced .holes 29.Whatever changes in length occur between the conduit 25 and the bottle10 during this operation, there is no significant stress exerted on anypart of the assembly because the helical conduit 25 simply slides in itsresilient supporting engagement with the interior of the bottle andthereby adjusts for all expansion and contraction.

I claim:

1. In combination with a cylindrical container for holding refrigeratedand compressed fluids, internal access means comprising a conduit of aresilient helical configuration greater in at least some overalldimensions in a relaxed state than the internal dimensions of saidcontainer, said configuration being compressed longitudinally withinsaid container without plastic deformation and expanded into forciblesupporting engagement with the interior of said container.

2. Access means according to claim 1 wherein said configuration isgreater in length in a relaxed state than the internal length of saidcontainer. I

3. Access means according to claim 1 wherein said configuration isgreater in outside diameter in a relaxed state than the internaldiameter of said container.

4. In combination with an elongated cylindrical container for holdingcompressed fluids, internal access means comprising a conduit of aresilient helical configuration greater in length and outside diameterin a relaxed state than the internal length and diameter of saidcontainer, said configuration being compressed in length and diameter tofit longitudinally within said container without plastic deformation andexpanded into forcible slideable supporting engagement with the interiorends and sides of said container.

5. In combination with an elongated cylindrical metal container havingrounded ends for holding refrigerated and compressed fluids, internalaccess means comprising a metal conduit of a resilient helicalconfiguration greater in length and outside diameter in a relaxed statethan the internal length and diameter of said container, saidconfiguration being compressed in length and diameter to fitlongitudinally within said container without plastic deformation andexpanded into forcible slideable supporting engagement with the interiorends and sides of said container, one end portion of said conduit beingformed with a plurality of openings.

6. In combination with an elongated cylindrical container for holdingcompressed fluids, internal access means comprising a conduitcommunicating through one end of said container and extending in helicalconfiguration throughout said container to the opposite end thereof,said conduit being resiliently restrained and supported in placethroughout the greater part of its helical configuration solely byslidable engagement with the sides and ends of said container.

7. In combination with an elongated cylindrical metal container havingrounded ends for holding refrigerated and compressed fluids, internalaccess means comprising a metal conduit communicating through one end ofsaid container and extending in helical configuration throughout saidcontainer to the opposite end thereof, said conduit being resilientlyrestrained and supported in place throughout the greater part of itshelical configuration solely by slideable engagement with the sides andends of said container, the end of said conduit remote fromwhere itcommunicates through said container being closed and formed along itsadjacent end portion with a plurality of openings facing the oppositeend portion of said conduit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Rodgers 138-78THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner.

R. H. SCHWARTZ, Assistant Exam iner.

Dedication 3,250,420.Har0ld B. Kohn, Yonkers, N.Y. INTERNAL ACCESS MEANSF OR CONTAINERS. Patent dated May 10, 1966. Dedication filed Sept. 16,1971, by the assignee, Vehoc Uorpomtian. Hereby dedicates to the Publicthe entire remaining term of said patent.

[Oflicz'al Gazette December 28, 1971.]

5. IN COMBINATION WITH AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL METAL CONTAINER HAVINGROUNDED ENDS FOR HOLDING REFRIGERATED AND COMPRESSED FLUIDS, INTERNALACCESS MEANS COMPRISING A METAL CONDUIT OF A RESILIENT HELICALCONFIGURATION GREATER IN LENGTH AND OUTSIDE DIAMETER IN A RELAXED STATETHAN THE INTERNAL LENGTH AND DIAMETER OF SAID CONTAINER, SAIDCONFIGURATION BEING COMPRESSED IN LENGTH AND DIAMETER TO FITLONGITUDINALLY WITHIN SAID CONTAINER WITHOUT PLASTIC DEFORMATION ANDEXPANDED INTO FORCIBLE SLIDEABLE SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INTERIORENDS AND SIDES OF SAID CONTAINER, ONE END PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT BEINGFORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS.